The River and the Highway
by Kathryn2
Summary: If you know the legend of the River and Highway this is exactly the same. But this is


The River and the Highway  
  
By: Kathryn  
  
Drama  
  
Rated: G  
  
janeway82@subspacemail.com  
  
6-3-00  
  
Summery: If you know the legend of the River and Highway this is exactly the same.  But this is  
  
in the Janeway/Chakotay theme.  A bit depressing a Janeway and Chakotay "don't get together" fan fiction.  Sorry but that's the purpose of "The River and the Highway."  
  
Janeway looks into the stars, tears are falling she is desperately trying to hold them back bit is unsuccessful.  Today her world had turned upside down and right side up in a matter of a few hours now it is falling upside down again.  She got everything she wanted and lost it all in the same day.  That darn Prime Directive has its rules and as a Starfleet officer she must abide by their rules.  
  
Chakotay on the other had has his door locked and the lights off.  His world came crashing down when the federation captured his crew all those years ago. But at the same time he met the most beautiful woman he had ever seen her name was Kathryn Janeway.  If only she weren't in Starfleet they would have made a perfect couple.  
  
"If only."  
  
The next day in the Mess Hall Janeway is alone.  The Wildman's are seated opposite from he.  She's pouring over Data PADDS. Naomi notices this and turns to her mother.  
  
"Mom, could I go see the Captain?  She seems to be alone, and as the captains assistant I should go and say hello."  
  
"Why of course you may Naomi, send her my regards."  
  
"I will."  
  
Naomi smiles and walks over to where the captain is.  
  
"Hello Captain Janeway."  
  
Janeway jumps in surprise  
  
"Oh, Hello Naomi, how are you?"  
  
She sits down across from Janeway  
  
"Oh, I'm fine, but you seem distracted what's the matter?"  
  
"Oh, nothing really, just a little tired."  
  
"Permission to speak freely?"  
  
"Permission granted."  
  
"You really aren't as tired as you are saying are you?"  
  
"Should have known I couldn't fool my Captains' Assistant.  And you are right, I'm tired but that's not the reason I'm distracted."  
  
"It's Commander Chakotay isn't it?"  
  
Janeway nods  
  
"Yes, would you like to hear a story about how Commander Chakotay and I first met?"  
  
"Yes! I love a story! Neelix tells me them all the time."  
  
"Yes, I know Neelix is a good story teller isn't he?"  
  
"Yes, he is."  
  
"Well, it happened a little while before you were born he was a Maquis outlaw and VOYAGER was set out here to captured them.  But you know that much anyway we both were thrown here by the Caretaker, which you also know, and so here we remain."  
  
"What happened after that I mean between you and the commander?"  
  
"Well, it was my decision that we bring both our crews together into one he agreed mainly because we needed to sacrifice one ship so he used his, and it was going to take 70 years to return to the Alpha Quadrant at maximum warp."  
  
"That's why here wears bars instead of the Starfleet rank."  
  
"Yes, and because these are for Starfleet graduates, it is no longer a member of Starfleet, but I felt it necessary that they have a rank regardless to what and who they are."  
  
"Commander Chakotay and you?"  
  
"Oh right."  
  
"Right"  
  
"I knew I loved him the first time he argued with me.  I loved being challenged.  From that moment on I knew we had something.  A little while later your mother went into labor with you we were all anxious but when Chakotay said,  "I never thought I would be so anxious and it isn't even my child" I told him "This child belongs to all of us, after all it would be the first child born on VOYAGER" the look he gave me made me melt.  From that moment on I wanted to be with him.  But the Prime Directive prevents me from doing that.  I felt hurt and angered that I could not marry the man I was so in love with.  I would never have a family this far away is all I thought."  
  
"But you still love him don't you?"  
  
"Oh, yes, and he I"  
  
"But that all can be, you are not permitted to be anything more, and that's why you can't be seen together."  
  
"I guess that's what distracting me."  
  
"I think so, when you returned to VOYAGER after you got sick with the insect bite you had to put those feelings aside and you didn't like it."  
  
"No, I didn't but Chakotay and I had to think about what were were going to do because we could no longer stay aboard VOYAGER.  The Doctor found a planet that we could survive on and we called it New Earth.  That's where I told him to call me Kathryn as the days went by we grew closer and ...closer."  
  
"Did you admit your love to him?"  
  
"Not right away, he tried his hardest to make our lives easier.  One day he was making headboards for our beds and he suggested we extend the shelter add more rooms, "To make more rooms for ourselves" I knew that wasn't just for "us" it was for our children he just didn't exactly say it.  That's where I knew I should think about it."  
  
"Did he just hint it?"  
  
"No, but with Chakotay you sometimes have to read between the lines.  He said it and I knew what he meant even if he didn't.  And I wanted children and he was the man I wanted to father my children."  
  
"But VOYAGER came back and crashed those dreams?"  
  
"In a matter of speaking I suppose so.  But if by chance we get home while I can still bare children I wouldn't have to ask twice and Chakotay will be there for me."  
  
"Captain, I hope you will get home while you can still have children."  
  
"Why is that Naomi?"  
  
"Because I would be certain you would be a great mom."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"The crew, I know, consider you their mother, Maybe its because they need someone to help them out because we are so far away from home.  You are the closest thing to a mom they have."  
  
"Thank you Naomi, I'm touched thank you for talking with me, I am honored to have you as a Captain's Assistant."  
  
"It was no problem; I was just doing my job.  Now I have to go back to mom.  Talk to you again sometime."  
  
"I look forward to it."  
  
Later that evening Janeway is in her quarters.  Chakotay and her are sharing dinner  
  
"I saw Naomi come up to you in the Mess Hall, what were you talking about?"  
  
"Just Captain to Captain's Assistant talk"  
  
"You were never really good at lying Kathryn so what were you really talking about?"  
  
"Okay Okay, I give up we were talking about you"  
  
"Good things I hope."  
  
"Yes, they were good things, as well as me, to make it simple we were discussing US."  
  
"What about us?"  
  
"Well, Naomi saw that I was distracted.  I tried to say I was tired but she knew I wasn't."  
  
"Naomi, always can tell if someone is tired and Naomi also knows when someone is fibbing."  
  
"Yes, I know, she is always there to cheer me up."  
  
"So what did you tell her?"  
  
"I told her about New Earth.  She was very questionable but she figured it out before I finished.  She knows I love you and you love me but what she can't understand is why two people who are so much in love with each other can't be together."  
  
"The Prime Directive, that's what preventing us form being together.  We are thirty thousand light years away from Starfleet yet you still follow the rules, why?"  
  
"Because I have to I'm a Starfleet Officer our Prime Directive is our Bible.  We need to follow it."  
  
"Well maybe now you should let your guard down."  
  
With that he storms away leaving a speechless Janeway in her quarters.  
  
"He's right I will be alone."  
  
As the door closes behind him Janeway remembers and Indian Legend Chakotay once told her a very long time ago.  
  
The River and the Highway  
  
She follows the path of least resistance  
  
She doesn't care to see the mountain top  
  
She twists and turns with no regard to distance  
  
She never comes to a stop  
  
She sighs it was so true  
  
And she rolls, she's a river  
  
Where she goes, time will tell  
  
Heaven knows, he can't go with her  
  
And she rolls, all by herself  
  
All by herself  
  
"I am all by myself."  
  
                                                                                             ***  
  
Chakotay is in his quarters.  He realizes that what he said was harsh maybe he should return.  
  
"No!"  
  
That would be giving into the Prime Directive he wouldn't do that the he remembers a Legend he told Kathryn a very long time ago.  
  
He's headed for a single destination  
  
He doesn't care what's standing in his path  
  
He's a line between two points of separation  
  
he ends just where it says to on the map  
  
And he rolls, he's a highway  
  
Where he goes, time will tell  
  
Heaven knows, she can't go with him  
  
And he rolls all by himself  
  
All by himself  
  
"I'm all by myself, I to will die alone old man."  
  
Split screen Janeway left Chakotay right; they are both getting ready for bed.  
  
And every now and then he offers her a shoulder  
  
And every now and then she over flows  
  
And every now and then a bridge crosses over  
  
It's a moment that every lover knows  
  
And she rolls (And he rolls)  
  
She's a river (He's a highway)  
  
Where she goes (Where he goes)  
  
Time will tell (Time will tell)  
  
Heaven knows, she can't go with him (He can't go with her)  
  
And she rolls, all by her self  
  
And he rolls, all by himself  
  
Fare thee well  
  
"Fare thee well."  
  
"Fare thee well."  
  
Thanks to Pam Tillis for inspiration… 


End file.
